The present invention relates in general to rotary rolling or bead rolling machines for sheet metal beading, flanging, crimping, joining, or other forming operations and more particularly, to an improved rotary machine or bead rolling device which utilizes an air bag or air spring pneumatic force actuator in combination with a unique variable pressure delivery control apparatus in order to provide precise and controlled force upon a mated pair of rollers.
It is well understood within the mechanical arts that deformation of sheet metal with ridges, bends, textures, beads (i.e. substantially semicircular indentations or projections), etc. creates substantial rigidity and strength within the sheet material. That is, flat form sheet metal is very flexible and generally unable to sustain forces perpendicular to the sheet plane without bending. Conventional rotary machines or bead rolling devices typically use a motor driven male and female roller which come together with the sheet metal there between to form a strengthening bead, a crimp, or other form. Unfortunately, the prior art bead rolling devices typically require that the user hold the sheet metal in one hand, use the other hand for mechanically controlling the separation between the rollers, and use a footswitch for roller speed control, all at the same time. For example, in a base form the prior art CMZ-7R power rotary machine from Empire Machinery & Supply Corp. of Norfolk, Va. requires the user to manually rotate a crank with a first hand while holding the sheet metal part with another hand during the beading, flanging, or crimping process. When rotated, said crank positions said rollers closer. This prior art technique is at best cumbersome and at worst a safety concern.
The prior art offers a pneumatic air cylinder or air over hydraulic cylinder feed for the aforesaid CMZ-7R. This prior art technique replaces said crank with a diaphragm within a larger metal housing or a hydraulic piston-cylinder, both combined with a linkage ram arrangement. Neither of the aforesaid arrangements provide for user operated force control between said rollers. Instead, said prior art simply provides a mechanical stop which limits the separation between said rollers when pneumatic pressure is applied to said diaphragm or hydraulic pressure is applied to said piston cylinder. This prior art limitation restricts the user's real time control of beading, flanging, and crimping depths, precludes the user from tapering in or gently beginning said bead, flange, or crimp, and further limits or prohibits the user from avoiding a machine stall when an overlapped or thicker material is encountered. Said prior art diaphragm in combination with said metal housing or said piston-cylinder arrangement further comprises a bulky obstruction positioned at the top of or above the rotary machine frame which restricts the user's work or sheet material visibility and ability to maneuver the material requiring beading, flanging, crimping, or other operations. This prior art piston-cylinder arrangement is also unnecessarily complex as it attaches to the top of said rotary machine whereby a ram attached with said piston may feed through said machine frame onto a top roller arm housing without incurring lateral forces which will bind said ram.
The present art utilizes a unique combination of a pneumatically actuated air spring or air-stroke actuator (not a piston cylinder arrangement) and a foot operated pressure regulator to control the force, not simply the displacement, between the rollers and the roller feed in real time pursuant to the user's requirement. This combination of force and feed control in a compact user friendly form allows the user to hold the sheet metal or part with two hands while using a single foot controller to control both the force between the rollers and the feed of the rollers. With the present art, the user has more control and convenience of use, i.e. two hand hold on the material, and thereby is able to more safely use the rotary machine and more precisely place and locate the ridges, bends, textures, beads, etc.
The present art utilization of an air spring or air-stroke actuator, typically manufactured by Goodyear® or Firestone®, between the top roller arm housing and machine frame is able to flex relative to its displacement direction, i.e. with said top roller arm housing radial displacement, which eliminates unnecessary mechanical complexity and the prior art obstruction and visibility concerns. This is especially useful for the present art since the top roller housing position, i.e. roller position, is moveable or may be adjustably displaced substantially perpendicular to the rotation plane of said roller. This movability option allows the user to offset the roller positions if desired or necessary. The prior art does not offer said flexibility or adjustability.
In a preferred embodiment, the present art further places a relatively small pressure gauge substantially at or near where the prior art places said diaphragm or piston-cylinder arrangement. The pressure gauge allows the user to observe the user controlled regulated pressure supplied to said air spring or air-stroke actuator as the foot controlled pressure is regulated whereby repeatedly consistent force is applied when forming the ridges, bends, textures, beads, etc.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved rotary rolling or bead rolling machine which is able to supply a user controlled regulated variable compressive force between a pair of rollers which form ridges, bends, textures, beads, or other sheet material deformations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved rotary rolling or bead rolling machine which is able to utilize a pneumatic supply or compressed air to provide a roller regulated variable force, said force having a maximum value commensurate with or greater than the prior art hydraulic feed without external hydraulics or the complexity of associated hydraulic pumps and controllers.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved rotary rolling or bead rolling machine which utilizes a unique foot operated pneumatic variable pressure regulator which has not heretofore been utilized with rotary machines.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved rotary rolling or bead rolling machine which utilizes the substantial force and compact size of an air spring or air-stroke actuator to provide the force between the machine rollers.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved rotary rolling or bead rolling machine which utilizes a single foot controller which allows a user to control the feed and force between rollers while maintaining two hands free for holding and controlling the work material.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an improved rotary rolling or bead rolling machine which provides at least one adjustable roller displacement substantially perpendicular to the rotation plane of said roller whereby a operator's rolling requirements are met.